Real Spaghetti Carbonara Recipe (Roman Recipe)

- Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add a generous amount of sea salt.

- Add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook until al dente, according to the package instructions (usually 8-10 minutes).

- Before draining, reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.

- Drain the spaghetti well.

- While the pasta cooks, heat a sauté pan over medium heat.

- Add the guanciale or pancetta to the pan.

- Sauté for 4-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the meat is crispy and the fat has rendered out.

- Add ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water to the sauté pan with the guanciale.

- Stir and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to deglaze, lifting any browned bits.

- Add the drained spaghetti to the pan with the guanciale and deglazed liquid.

- Toss the pasta over medium heat, stirring constantly until most of the pasta water has evaporated.

- In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, egg yolks, and finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese.

- Add a generous amount of freshly cracked black pepper.

- Whisk together until smooth and well combined.

- Remove the pan from the heat to prevent the eggs from scrambling.

- Pour the egg and cheese mixture over the hot spaghetti and guanciale.

- Quickly and continuously toss the pasta using tongs or a wooden spoon to evenly coat the spaghetti. The residual heat from the pasta will gently cook the eggs, creating a creamy sauce.

- If the sauce seems too thick, gradually mix in teaspoons of the reserved pasta water to achieve a silky consistency.

- Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional freshly cracked black pepper if desired.

- Divide the spaghetti carbonara among warm serving plates or bowls, and serve.